Box-flange coupling for sheet-metal pipes.



No, 634,275. Patented. Oct. 3, I899. E. v. SCHENCK.

BOX FLANGE COUPLING FOR SHEET METAL PIPES.

(Application filed Mar. 16, 18 J (No Model.)

J11 2/6 for. md V. dzmofi mad OW C, Q%,

UNITED STATES PATENT EDXVARD V. SCI'IENCK, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

BOX-FLANGE COUPLING FOR SHEET-METAL PIPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,275, dated October3, 1899.

Application filed March 16,1899. Serial No. 709,296. No modeld To (LY/Zwhom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD V. ScHnNoK, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, (Brooklyn,) county of Kings, State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-FlangeCouplings for Sheet-Metal Pipes, fully described and represented in thefollowing specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthe same.

The object of the present invention is to furnish a coupling for angularsheet-metal pipes, such as are frequently used for airducts, and whichwhen made of large dimensions are liable to bend at the joints unlessartificially stiffened in some way. I'Ieretofore such pipes have beencoupled by mere flanges bolted or seamed together and which projected asribs upon the surface of the pipe and served in some degree to stiffenthe joint. Such flange-joint is not, however, as commonly constructedcapable of resisting much external pressure, and large pipes havetherefore required an external brace, which involves both expense andtrouble to fix it in place.

In the present invention I provide the opposed ends of the pipes withsheet-metal members bent into such shape that when united together bybolts they form a hollow boxflange having very great rigidity. Theconstruction is such that the box-flange has a stiffness and strengthvery much greater than can be secured by disposing the same amount ofmetal in any other shape. Such construction not only obviates thenecessity of bracing the pipes internally, but it holds the joined endsof the pipes in close contact and forms a tighter joint than whereeither end of the pipe is liable to distortion.

lhe invention will be understood by refer ence to the annexed drawings,in which-- Figure l is a perspective View of one end of the pipe with acoupling member consisting of a projecting rib having a lateral wing;and Fig. 2 is a perspective view of another pipe end adapted to coupletherewith, the coupling member having a projecting rib and a wingprovided with an inwardly-turned flange. Fig. 8 is a side elevation ofthe pipe ends coupled together. Fig. 4. is a cross-section of thecoupling member shown upon the end in Fig. 2.

pipe end in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the coupling membershown upon the pipe Fig. (5 is an alternative construction for themembers shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of one side of thepipe adjacent to the joint, with the box-flange formed by bolting thecoupling members together. Fig. 8 is an end view of one of the pipes,showing the junction of the corners in the coupling members; and Fig. 9is an edge view of the same.

A and A designate the opposed pipe ends, B the projecting rib in thecoupling member upon A, and B the corresponding rib upon the pipe A. Theribs are provided, respectively, with wings O O, which project towardone another, and one of such wings is pro vided with aninwardly-projecting flange D, which may extend partly toward the pipe,as shown in Fig. 5, or entirely toward the pipe, as shown in Fig. 6. Themembers are provided, respectively, with feet E E, by which they areriveted upon the pipe ends, each foot having a return-bend to form agroove F, into which the end of the pipe is fitted, as is common inpipe-couplings of this class.

Fig. 7 shows the two members riveted to the respective pipes A. and A byrivets G and G.

To avoid an interference between the rivets, the end of the pipe A andthe foot E are bent inwardly, the corners of the pipe and the j unc tionof such feet at the corners being suitably tapered to permit such inwardflexure, as shown in Fig. 7. The beveling to form the taper is shown inFig. 2.

Each coupling member for a rectangular pipe is made of four pieces,which are cutoff from long lengths of so-called shapes, which areconvenienly made in lengths in cornicemaking or sheet-metal-bendingtools.

To make the coupling member rigid, the ribs B or B of the four piecesare overlapped and bolted or riveted together, as shown at the cornersof the coupling member B E in Fig. 8, the ends of the feet E being cutaway upon two of the members where they interfere with the junction, asshown at c in Fig. 2. The ribs are provided with opposite bolt-holes toreceive bolts H. The winged member, which possesses theinwardly-projecting flange D, fits within the wing 0 upon the opposedmember, the foot E fitting within the foot E in a found that a hollowbox-flange of this concorresponding manner and the ribs l3 B being heldrigidly apart by the edge of the wing and the flange D. The bolts drawthe parts tightly together and form a rigid hollow box, as shown in Fig.7, which possesses a double thickness of the metal in the wings C 0 uponthe outer side and in the feet E E upon the inner side, so that theopposite edges of the box are greatly strengthened and prevented fromruptn re when the complete flange (shown in Fig. 3) is subjected topressure. I have structiou and one inch in height is capable ofsustaining the weight of a man when extended across the flat side of abox two orthree feet in width, and it thus serves not only to form avery stiff and permanent joint for the pipes, but to prevent damage tothe pipes when exposed to accidental pressure.

it will be observed that the return-bend of the foot it is formed uponthe same side of the rib 13 as the wing C and projects from the rib tothe same extent as the wing 0 extends from the rib B, so that when theparts are drawn together by bolts, as shown in Fig. 7, the bent end ofthe foot may come in contact with the rib B at the same time that thewing C contacts with the rib 13, thus holding the ribs 1 and B )arallelwith one another to brace the box-flange upon both its inner and outersides.

It is obvious that the hollow box-flange may be secured by shapes otherthan those shown in the drawings, and i do not, therefore, limit myselfto the precise construction herein described. It is also obvious thatthis class of flange may be applied to any angular pipe, and istherefore suited to one having three, live, or more sides, and in suchcase the ends of the shapes where they join at the several corners ofthe pipe may be lapped and secured togctherin the manner shown upon thesqua re pipe in i ig. 8.

It will be observed that the rivets G G both lie at one side (the leftside in the drawings) of the hollow box-flange, which is necessitatedwith the construction shown by the lit ting of the foot E over the footE to bring the return-bend upon the foot E in contact with the rib B,and l have therefore made special claim to this construction.

It will be understood that the two members may be somewhat reversed intheir constructive features by forming the inwardlyqpojecting flange Dupon the wing O of the member shown in Fig. 4: instead of upon themember shown in Fig. 5, in which case the footll and the flange 0 wouldboth of them [it inside of:

the foot i l and wing upon the opposite member.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimedherein is- 1. A coupling for sheet-metal pipes com prising membersattached respectively to the opposed ends of thepipes and adapted toconnect the pipes and form a rectangular hollow box to stiffen thejoint.

2. A coupling for sheet-metal pipes comprising members attachedrespectively to the opposed ends of the pipes, and adapted to connectthe pipes and form a rectangular hollow box to stiffen the joint, withcontacting parts upon the opposite members to resist theclamping-pressure of belts in the direction of the I pipe.

3. Acouplingforangularsheet-metal pipes com prising four sheet-metalshapes attached to the four sides of each of the pipes with theircorners lapped and seen red together,and constituting members adaptedwhen coupled to form a hollowboX-ilange to stiffen thejoint.

In a coupling for angular sheet-metal pipes, the sheet-metal shapehaving the feet It" for attachment to the pipe, the projecting rib 13having the lateral wing t," parallel with the foot, such wing beingprovided with the inwardly-projecting flange 1) to stiffen the wing,substantially as herein set forth.

In a coupling for angular sheet-metal pipes, the combination, with themember having the foot E, and the projecting rib having the wingprovided with inwardly-turncd flange, of the opposed member having thefoot E, the projecting rib B and the plain wing adapted to embrace theflanged wing, the ribs and wings forming a hollow box to stiffen thejoint, substantially as herein set forth.

6. In a coupling for angular sheet-metal pipes, the combination, withthe member having the foot E, the projecting rib l3 and the wing O, ofan opposed member having the foot E with rib i3 and wing C, the rib Bbeing adapted to contact with the rib 0 upon the opposed member, and thefoot h and rib 1 being connected by return-bend adapted simultaneouslyto contact with the rib B, to brace the box-flange upon both its innerand outer sides, substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EDWARD V. SCI iENt l'Z.

\Vitnesses:

I4. IJEE 'lnouas (inane.

